Alterations of cell surface antigens induced by placental isoform of ferritin in human carcinoma cell lines.

AIM: the ability of the breast cancer-associated placental acid isoform of ferritin (p43-PLF) to modulate cell surface expression of HLA, CD59 (protectin) and CD66 antigen (adhesion antigen related to CEA) was examined.
METHODS: the expression of these antigens in human breast carcinoma cell lines BT-20, T47D and MDA-MB-468 was determined with the aid of flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies.
RESULTS: PLF induced a transient up-regulation followed by a down regulation of cell surface protectin (CD59 antigen) on the cell surface of T47D and to a lesser extent, BT-20 human breast carcinoma cell lines. Furthermore, PLF down-regulated cell surface expression of CEA-related CD66 antigen on both these cell lines. No PLF-induced alterations of protectin, CD66 antigen and HLA class I antigen were found on the MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line.
CONCLUSIONS: breast cancer-associated p43 induces alterations of the expression of cell surface molecules in breast cancer cells which could have an effect on the modulation of cancer cell adhesive interactions.